Copyholder



Aug. 23, 1960 S. B. TIBBLING COPYHOLDER Filed Sept. 23, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .HHHHHHHIH TTHTIIH INVENTOR. STIG B. TIBBLING Aug. 23, 1960 Filed Sept. 23, 1958 S. B. TIBBLING COPYHOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 23, 1960 s. B. TlBBLlNG 2,949,886

COPYHOLDER Filed Sept. 23, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E i 4? 50 mm 42 j United States atent COPYHOLDER Stig B. Tibbling, Carmel, N.Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 762,738

7 Claims. (Cl. 12032) This invention relates to a copyholder, and more particularly to a device which may be attached to a typewriter for holding a sheet of paper in position so a typist may read information thereon while typing a copy, the device being operable to feed the sheet one line at a time.

In typing a copy from a sheet of printed material, it is desirable that the printed sheet be supported in front of the typist at a convenient level and at a distance which permits the print to be easily read. By feeding the sheet from a container so that only the information typed as well as the line being typed is visible, little difiiculty is experienced in following the printed information. Controls may be placed closely adjacent to the keyboard of the typewriter for efiecting a feeding of the printed sheet as desired.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved copyholder.

Another object is to provide an improved device for supporting a printed sheet in a position over a typewriter and operable to advance the sheet one line at a time in response to the actuation of controls arranged closely adjacent the keyboard of the typewriter.

Still another object is to provide an improved copyholder which is operable to feed a printed sheet a unit distance into or out of a container in response to an actuation of a control element.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim-s and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a typewriter having the improved copyholder attached thereto.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the copyholder.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the copyholder with parts broken away and a cover removed to show the operating mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

j Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be noted that there is shown an improved copyholder, generally designated 1, supported by a bracket 2 which is clamped to the rear end of a typewriter 3. The holder comprises a cylindrical member 4 which is open at its right hand end in Fig. 3 and is connected at its left hand end by screws 5 to a plate 6. Extending longitudinally through the member 4 at its front side is a slot 7 through which a printed sheet may be fed. Projecting through the slot at its rear edge is a guide plate 9 which is pivotally supported at a point between its upper and lower edges by the plate 6. Rotatably supported by the guide plate at its lower edge is a feed roll 10 which is engageable with feed rolls 11 on a shaft 12 extending through a housing 14 connected at tween the arm and the stud 3'7.

one end to the plate 6 and its other end to a boss 15 on the cylindrical member 4. The guide plate 9 is urged in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 1 about its pivot by a spring 16 to hold the feed roll 10 in engagement with the feed rolls 11. Pivotally connected to the guide plate are arms 17 for supporting the printed sheet as it is fed out of the member 4.

At the right hand end of the shaft 12 is a knob 20 which may be operated manually for feeding the printed sheet between the feed rolls 10 and 11 into or out of the memher 4. The left hand end of the shaft 12 is connected through a friction clutch 21 to a shaft 22 journaled at one end in the plate 6 and at its other end in a frame member 23, as shown in Fig. 4. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 22 are two gears 24 and 25 which are connected to the shaft under the control of spring clutches 26 and 27. Rotation of the gear 24 in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 3 results in a contracting of the spring 26 against the shaft 22 to cause the latter to rotate with the gear. Rotation of the gear in the opposite direction causes the spring to expand so that the gear turns freely relative to the shaft. The clutch spring 27 operates to connect the gear 25 to the shaft 22 when the gear is rotated in a clockwise direction, and to permit free rotation of the gear in the opposite direction.

For driving the gears 24 and 25 selectively to cause a stepped rotation of the shaft 22 in one direction or the other, there is provided a bar 29 having an elongated slot 30 through which the shaft 22 extends. Fixed to the left side of the bar adjacent the upper edge of the slot 30 is a rack 31 adapted to mesh with the gear 24. At the opposite side of the bar adjacent the lower edge of the slot 30 is a rack 32 which meshes with the gear 25 when the bar is moved to the right in Fig. 4. The rear end of the bar 29 is mounted loosely on a pin 34 which is slidably received within a slot 35 formed in an arm 36 pivoted on a stud 37 fixed to the plate 6. The mounting of the bar 29 is such that it permits a transverse swinging of the bar to engage the racks 31 and 32 selectively with the gears 24 and 25.

Slidably mounted on the shaft 22 is a sleeve shaped member 40 having flanges 41 and 42 engaging the edges of the bar 29 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A spring 43 is connected between the flange 41 and a stud 44 on the plate 6 for urging the member 40 to a position in which the rack 32 meshes with the gear 25. Between the member 40 and the plate 6 is a sleeve-shaped member 45 freely mounted on the shaft 22 and having a gear 46 fixed to its right hand end. Projecting from the opposite end of the member 45 is a Wedge shaped portion 47 extending into a notch 48 in the member 40 when the latter is in a position to effect a meshing of the rack 32 with the gear 25. When the member 45 is rotated in a clockwise direction in Fig. 3 relative to the member 40, the projecting portion 47 acts on the side of the notch 48 to cam the member 40 to the left until the rack 31 meshes with the gear 24. The end of the projecting portion then acts against the end of the member 40 to hold the latter in its left hand position as shown in Fig. 4.

For rotating the member 45 on the shaft22, there is provided a gear segment 50 connected to a member 51 pivota'oly mounted on a rod 52 extending parallel to the shaft 22 and fixed at its ends to the plate 6 and the frame member 23-. The member 5 1 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 53- which is normally supported in a horizontal position by a spring 54 connected be- Connected to the arm 53 adjacent its rear end is a wire 55 which extends, as shown in Fig. 1, through a flexible tube 56 to a bellcrank 57 pivotally supported within a control box 58 attached to the typewriter at one side of the keyboard.

The bellcrankmay be rocked manually in a clockwise direction to a position in which it may be latched by suit. able means, not shown. Produces a pull on the wire 55 to rock the member 51 and the gear segment 50 so as to drive the member 45 from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4. When the bellcrank 57 is rotated again to the. position in Fig. 1', the spring 54' lifts the arm 53 to drive the member 45- back to the position shown in Fig. 3. To prevent the member 40 from rotating with the member 4-5 there is provided a groove 59 in the rod 52 slidably receiving the flange 42 on the member 40.

To effect a stepped rotation of the shaft 22, the bar 29 is reciprocated longitudinally while its racks 31 or 32 mesh with the gears 24 or 25. Reciprocation of the bar 29 is accomplished by rocking the arm 36 about the stud 37. The distance which the bar is moved depends upon the position of the pin 34 in the slot 35. For changing the position of the pin in the slot there is provided a lever 61 pivotally supported at one end on the shaft 22 and having a forked portion 63 at its opposite end engaging the pin 34. Formed on the lever 61 adjacent the shaft 22 is a gear segment 64- .meshing with a gear segment 65 fixed to a shaft 66 which is rotatably supported by the frame 23, plate 6, and the boss 15 at the right end of the cylindrical member 4. The portion of the shaft 66 between the plate 6 and the boss 15 extends through the housing 14 and has formed therein a helical groove 67. Slidably mounted on this portion of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, are plate members 68 and 69 extending through a slot 70 in the housing 14 and having'a button 71 connected thereto. Arranged between themembers 68 and 69 is a tongue 72 connected to the button 71 and extending into the groove 67. When the button 71 is moved along the: slot 70, the tongue 72 acts in the groove 67 to rotate the shaft 66. The gear segment 65 then drives the gear segment 64 to swing the lever 61 about the shaft 22 and change the position of the pin 34 in the slot 35.

The power for driving the arm 36 is provided by a motor 74 attached to the plate 6, and having a power shaft 75 frictionally engaging the rim of a wheel 76 which is rotatably supported by an arm 77 pivotally mounted on the stud 37. A spring 78 is connected between the arm 77 and a stud, not shown, on the frame 23 for yieldingly holding the wheel 76 in engagement with the shaft 75. Projecting axially from the wheel 76 is a cylindrical portion 79 of reduced diameter and engageable by a cam 80 rotatably supported by the arm 36. Fixed to one side of the cam 80 is a rectangular member 81 having a flat surface engaged by a spring wire 82 attached to the arm 36. The cam is normally held by the spring 82 in a position with a low dwell opposite the cylindrical portion 79 as shown in Fig. 3.

At the lower end of the arm 36 are plate members 84, 85 which are pivotally supported at one end on a stud 86 projecting inwardly from the end frame 23. The plate member 85 is slightly longer than the member 84 and normally overlies a flange 87 formed on the lower end of the arm 36. Arranged between members 84, 85 is a cylindrical element 88 having a reduced portion extending upwardly through an opening in the member 85. Fixed to the upper end of the reduced portion is a cap 89, and a spring 90 acts between the cap and the upper surface of the member 85 for holding the latter against the shoulder on the element 88 at the base of the reduced portion. Acting against the lower side of the member 84 is a spring 91 which rests upon a plate 92 extending inwardly from the end frame 23 and connected to the plate 6. The spring 91 operates to swing the members 84, 85 upwardly against studs 93 and 94 on the frame 23. With the parts in this position, the rear end of the plate member 84 acts against the side of the flange 87 for holding the arm 36 in a position with the cam 80 free of the portion 79 on the wheel 76.

Attached to the cap 89 is a wire 95 extending through the cylindrical element 88 and an opening in the plate 92 to the control box 58 shown in the Fig. 1. This wire is connected at the control box to a bell crank 96 which may be rocked by depressing a button 97, in a direction to pull on the wire 95. The plate member 84 is caused to swing downwardly by the pull on the wire, and the plate member 85 remains in the position shown due to its engagement with the top of the flange 87. When the member 84 is moved below the flange 87, the arm 36 is caused to swing in a counterclockwise direction by the action of a spring 98 connecting the arm to a stud, not shown, on the frame 23. As the arm swings in this direction, the cam engages the portion 79 of the wheel 76 and is caused to rotate. The high dwell on the cam engaging the wheel portion 79 causes the arm 36 to swing in a clockwise direction and move the bar 29 rearwardly to drive the feed rolls 11 in one direction or the other depending upon which of the gears 24, 25 is engaged by the racks 31, 32. While the arm 36 is being driven, the plate member 84 returns, if the button 97 is released, to a position in line with the flange 87 so that it is engaged by the flange when the cam returns to a position with its low dwell opposite the wheel portion 79. The drive connections for the arm 36 are then broken until the plate member 84 is again moved below the flange 87. If the button 97 is held depressed, the plate member is moved downwardly by the action of the spring 98 into engagement with the stud 93 when the arm 36 is rocked by the action of the cam. The member 85 then lies in the path of the flange 87 andprevents a repeated rocking of the arm. It will be seen that a single reciprocation of the bar 29 is effected each time that the button 97 is depressed. The feed rolls 11 are rotated in one direction or the other a unit distance which depends on the position of the button 71 in the slot 78. Direction of feed may be changed by rocking the bellcrank 57 in the control box 58 and elfecting a swinging of the bar 29 from one driving position to the other. Operation of the motor 74 is controlled by a switch 99 located in the control box 58 and connected to the motor by means of an electric cable 100. The operating mechanism at the end of the cylindrical member 4 is enclosed within a casing 101, as shown in Fig. 2.

While there have been shown and described the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A copyholder for a typewriter comprising, in combination, a container having a slot extending along one side thereof, means for supporting said container with said slot lying in a horizontal plane over said typewriter, a shaft rotatably supported by said container and carrying a feed roll adjacent said slot, said feed roll being operable when rotated to move a sheet of paper through said slot, a gear mounted upon said shaft, a clutch operable to connect said gear to said shaft when rotated in one direction and to permit free rotation of said gear relative to said shaft when rotated in the opposite direction, a rack for driving said gear, a continuously rotating drive member, a pivoted arm carrying a cam engageable with said drive member, means adjustably connecting said rack to said arm at a point between the ends of the latter, means normally holding said arm in a position with said cam free of said drive member, and manually operable means for releasing said holding means to permit an engagement of said cam with said drive member for effecting a reciprocation of said-rack, said holding means operating again to hold said arm after a single reciprocation of said rack has been completed.

2. The copyholder of claim 1 in which said means adjustably connecting said rack to said arm comprises a pin fixed to said rack and extending through a slot in said arm, a pivoted member engaging said pin, and manually actuated means for rocking said pivoted member to shift the position of said pin in said slot.

3. The copyholder of claim 1 in which said means adjustably connecting said rack to said arm comprises a pin fixed to said rack and extending through a slot in said arm, a pivoted member engaging said pin and having a gear segment adjacent its pivoted end, a control shaft rotatably supported by said container and carrying a gear segment meshing with the gear segment on said pivoted member, a helical groove formed in said control shaft, and a button slidably mounted on said container and carrying a tongue extending into said groove, said tongue operating upon a sliding of said button to rotate said control shaft and eifect a swinging of said pivoted member to shift the position of said pin in said slot.

4. A copyholder for a typewriter comprising, in combination, a cylindrical container having a slot extending along one side thereof, means for supporting said container with said slot lying in a horizontal plane over said typewriter, a shaft rotatably supported by said container and carrying a feed roll adjacent said slot, said feed roll being operable when rotated to move a sheet of paper through said slot, a pair of gears mounted upon said shaft at spaced points, clutches for connecting said gears to said shaft, one of said clutches operating to connect its gear to said shaft when rotated in one direction and the other of said clutches operating to connect its gear to said shaft when rotated in the opposite direction, a member carrying a pair of racks, each cooperating with a differcut one of said gears, manually operated means for moving said member to engage said racks selectively with said gears, a continuously operating driving means and means including a manual control element for effecting a reciprocation of said member by said driving means, said last mentioned means operating upon an actuation of said control element for effecting a single reciprocation of said member.

5. The copyholder of claim 4 in which said means for moving said rack member comprises a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft and operatively connected to said member, a spring urging said sleeve to a position in which one of said racks engages one of said gears, and manually actuated cam means for moving said sleeve against the action of said spring to a position engaging the other of said racks with the other one of said gears.

6. A copyholder for a typewriter comprising, in combination, a cylindrical container having a slot extending along one side thereof, means for supporting said container with said slot lying in a horizontal plane over said typewriter, a shaft rotatably supported by said container and carrying a feed roll adjacent said slot, said feed roll being operable when rotated to move a sheet of paper through said slot, a pair of gears mounted upon said shaft at spaced points, clutches for connecting said gears to said shaft, one of said clutches operating to connect its gear to said shaft when rotated in one direction and the other of said clutches operating to connect its gear to said shaft when rotated in the opposite direction, a member carrying a pair of racks, each cooperating with a different one of said gears, manually operated means for moving said member to engage said racks selectively with said gears, a pivotally supported arm, means adjustably connecting said member to said arm, a continuously rotating power roll, a cam supported by said arm and engageable with said power roll for rocking said arm to reciprocate said member, means normally holding said arm in a position with said cam free of said power roll, and manually actuated means for releasing said holding means to engage said cam with said power roll so as to efiect a single reciprocation of said member.

7. The copyholder of claim 6 including manually actuated means for adjusting the connection of said member to said arm at different points along its length so as to vary the reciprocation of said member by the rocking of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,516 Degener May 6, 1930 1,931,767 Malcolm Oct. 24, 1933 2,153,182 Gray Apr. 4, 1939 2,166,508 Shipley et a1 July 18, 1939 2,617,386 Kao et al "Nov. 11, 1952 2,728,438 Balfour Dec. 27, 1955 

